defecting 1 of 2

Definition of defectingnext

defecting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of defect
See the Dictionary Definition 

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defecting
Verb
  • No one wants to swim in that immense sea that has swallowed so many rafters since Cubans began emigrating after the arrival of Castroism in 1959.
    Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Sessen Mengist is an Eritrean-American writer still reeling from the culture and temperature shock of emigrating from East Africa to the suburbs of Minnesota.
    Katie Campione, Deadline, 2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Then there’s Schiaparelli’s approach to work, which was renegade, and highly collaborative.
    Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Set 500 years in the future, Whedon's original series followed a renegade crew aboard the transport ship Serenity.
    Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In Season 2, after finding out survivors — including his wife, Teri (Enuka Okuma) — remain in the outside world in the Season 1 finale, Xavier (Brown) embarks on a quest to find her, journeying out from the Paradise bunker for the first time since the planet’s destruction.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
  • After journeying a total of more than 695,000 miles during their mission, all four astronauts described the joy of returning to their families.
    Denise Chow, NBC news, 16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • However, are there couples who made nontraditional relationships permanent?
    Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
  • With state-of-the-art technical expertise and mastering of materials, this opened Bulgari up to the world of further exploring nontraditional jewelry materials.
    Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Harry, Louis, and Zayn are all touring this year.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The group, which recently announced its first album in six years, is touring for the first time since the members' mandatory military service in South Korea caused BTS to go on hiatus starting in 2022.
    Carly Sauvageau, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • After the match, Chelsea captain Reece James made a point of pushing McFarlane towards the travelling support to receive his congratulations.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Roughly 55% of people traveling along the avenue are doing so on a bus, city data says.
    Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 24 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Defecting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defecting. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on defecting

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster